Privacy Policy

This privacy notice tells you what to expect us to do with your personal information.

· Contact details

· What information we collect, use, and why

· Lawful bases and data protection rights

· Where we get personal information from

· How long we keep information

· Who we share information with

· How to complain

emma@spectrabookkeeping.co.uk

We collect or use the following information to provide and improve products and services for clients:

· Names and contact details

· Addresses

· Occupation

· Date of birth

· Marital status

· Third party information (such as family members or other relevant parties)

· Payment details (including card or bank information for transfers and direct debits)

· Financial data (including income and expenditure)

· Transaction data (including details about payments to and from you and details of products and services you have purchased)

· Usage data (including information about how you interact with and use our website, products and services)

· Employment details (including salary, sick pay and length of service)

· Credit history and credit reference information

· Criminal records data (including driving or other convictions)

· Information relating to compliments or complaints

· Records of meetings and decisions

· Account access information

We also collect or use the following special category information to provide and improve products and services for clients. This information is subject to additional protection due to its sensitive nature:

· Racial or ethnic origin

· Political opinions

· Religious or philosophical beliefs

· Trade union membership

We collect or use the following personal information for the operation of client or customer accounts:

· Names and contact details

· Addresses

· Purchase or service history

· Account information, including registration details

· Information used for security purposes

We also collect or use the following special category information for the operation of client or customer accounts. This information is subject to additional protection due to its sensitive nature:

· Racial or ethnic origin

· Political opinions

· Religious or philosophical beliefs

· Trade union membership

We collect or use the following personal information for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of crimes:

· Names and contact information

· Client accounts and records

· Financial information eg for fraud prevention or detection

We also collect or use the following special category information for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of crimes. This information is subject to additional protection due to its sensitive nature:

· Racial or ethnic origin

· Political opinions

· Religious or philosophical beliefs

· Trade union membership

We collect or use the following personal information to comply with legal requirements:

· Name

· Contact information

· Identification documents

· Client account information

· Any other personal information required to comply with legal obligations

· Criminal offence data 

We also collect or use the following special category information to comply with legal requirements. This information is subject to additional protection due to its sensitive nature:

· Racial or ethnic origin

· Political opinions

· Religious or philosophical beliefs

· Trade union membership

We collect or use the following personal information to protect client welfare:

· Names and contact information

· Client account information

We also collect or use the following special category information to protect client welfare. This information is subject to additional protection due to its sensitive nature:

· Racial or ethnic origin

· Political opinions

· Religious or philosophical beliefs

· Trade union membership

We collect or use the following personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims:

· Names and contact details

· Addresses

· Payment details

· Account information

· Purchase or service history

· Relevant information from previous investigations

· Customer or client accounts and records

· Financial transaction information

· Correspondence

· Location data

We also collect or use the following special category information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims. This information is subject to additional protection due to its sensitive nature:

· Racial or ethnic origin

· Political opinions

· Religious or philosophical beliefs

· Trade union membership

Under UK data protection law, we must have a “lawful basis” for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO’s website.

Which lawful basis we rely on may affect your data protection rights which are set out in brief below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO’s website:

· Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. You can request other information such as details about where we get personal information from and who we share personal information with. There are some exemptions which means you may not receive all the information you ask for. Read more about the right of access.

· Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete. Read more about the right to rectification.

· Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information. Read more about the right to erasure.

· Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to limit how we can use your personal information. Read more about the right to restriction of processing.

· Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. Read more about the right to object to processing.

· Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you. Read more about the right to data portability.

· Your right to withdraw consent – When we use consent as our lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Read more about the right to withdraw consent.

If you make a request, we must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month.

To make a data protection rights request, please contact us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide and improve products and services for clients are:

· Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

· Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

· Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.

· Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are:

o At Spectra Bookkeeping, we process personal data for the purpose of improving and enhancing our services to clients. One of our legitimate interests is to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of bookkeeping services, which includes managing financial records, ensuring compliance with tax laws, and delivering tailored support to our clients. Specifically, we rely on your personal data to: Enhance the quality of our services: By analysing the data you provide, we can tailor our bookkeeping solutions to meet your specific business needs, improve accuracy, and ensure the highest standard of service. Offer personalized recommendations: Your financial data allows us to identify opportunities for cost savings, tax planning, and business efficiency improvements that can help you better manage your finances. Improve communication and support: We may use your contact information to respond to your queries, resolve any issues, or provide updates and reminders related to your accounts and tax filing obligations. Streamline our internal processes: We may analyse aggregate data to assess the effectiveness of our services, optimize our operational workflow, and improve our business practices to offer you a more seamless experience. We ensure that these interests do not override your privacy rights, and we apply appropriate safeguards to protect your personal data. You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for these legitimate interests at any time, and we will respect your decision, subject to any legal or contractual obligations. If you have any concerns or wish to exercise your right to object, please contact us at emma@spectrabookkeeping.co.uk

For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above.

· Public task – we have to collect or use your information to carry out a task laid down in law, which the law intends to be performed by an organisation such as ours. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure and the right to portability.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for the operation of client or customer accounts are:

· Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

· Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

· Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.

· Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are:

o At Spectra Bookkeeping, we process personal data as part of the day-to-day operation of client accounts for the purpose of delivering our bookkeeping services effectively and in compliance with legal obligations. The processing of this data is essential for the smooth operation of the services we provide to our clients. We rely on legitimate interests to collect, store, and use personal data for the following purposes: Managing client accounts: We need to process personal data to establish, maintain, and manage client accounts. This includes storing contact details, business information, and financial records to ensure accurate and timely bookkeeping, tax filing, and financial reporting. Providing tailored financial services: To perform our bookkeeping services effectively, we use the data you provide to ensure that we meet your specific accounting and tax requirements. This allows us to offer personalized advice, support, and solutions that help you manage your finances and comply with relevant laws. Fulfilling contractual obligations: As part of our agreement with you, we process personal data to perform services under our contract, such as tracking income and expenses, preparing financial statements, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., VAT, payroll, etc.). Maintaining communication: Personal data (such as email addresses, phone numbers, etc.) allows us to communicate important updates related to your accounts, tax deadlines, and other essential matters. This helps ensure that you are informed of any actions required on your part or any changes to your services. Ensuring business continuity and auditing: We use client data to monitor the quality of the services we deliver, track any issues or discrepancies, and resolve disputes efficiently. This also includes maintaining records for auditing and financial reporting purposes. We believe that the processing of your personal data for these purposes is necessary for the performance of our contract with you and for the ongoing operational needs of our bookkeeping service. We are committed to ensuring that your personal data is processed securely and in accordance with data protection laws, and that your privacy rights are respected. If you wish to object to the processing of your personal data or have any questions regarding how we process your information, please contact us at emma@spectrabookkeeping.co.uk

For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of crimes are:

· Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

· Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

· Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to comply with legal requirements:

· Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

· Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

· Legal obligation – we have to collect or use your information so we can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.

· Public task – we have to collect or use your information to carry out a task laid down in law, which the law intends to be performed by an organisation such as ours. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure and the right to portability.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to protect client welfare are:

· Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

· Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims are:

· Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

· Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

· Public task – we have to collect or use your information to carry out a task laid down in law, which the law intends to be performed by an organisation such as ours. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure and the right to portability.

· Directly from you

· Regulatory authorities

· Legal bodies or professionals (such as courts or solicitors)

· Publicly available sources

· Previous employment

· Credit reference agencies

· Suppliers and service providers

• Accounting records for a private company – 3 years
• Accounting records for a public company – 6 years
• Payroll records, including overtime/bonuses/expenses – 6 years
• Income tax records for an employee that has left – 6 years
• VAT records – 6 years / (10 years if using VAT MOSS service)
• Supporting documentation for tax returns – 6 years
• Tax records for self-employed or partnerships – 5 years from 31st     January following the tax which the return relates to 
• AML Check information – 5 years

· Debt collection agencies

· Other financial or fraud investigation authorities

· Insurance companies, brokers or other intermediaries

· Professional or legal advisors

· Insolvency practitioners

· Regulatory authorities

· External auditors

· Organisations we’re legally obliged to share personal information with

· Publicly on our website, social media or other marketing and information media

· Previous employers

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO.

The ICO’s address:           

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint